Chinese scientists develop nuclear optical clock
Chinese scientists at Tsinghua University have developed a nuclear optical clock using thorium-229, which offers higher precision than traditional electron-based atomic clocks. This advancement could improve satellite navigation and deep-space exploration capabilities.
Why it matters
Nuclear optical clocks represent a significant leap in timekeeping technology, which is critical for high-precision infrastructure like GPS and space navigation.
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Chinese scientists have developed a nuclear optical clock that uses the nucleus of a thorium-229 atom to keep time, marking a major advance toward a new generation of highly precise clocks.
A team led by Ding Shiqian at Tsinghua University used a specially developed continuous-wave ultraviolet laser and a tiny crystal containing thorium-229 to detect and precisely measure a transition inside the atomic nucleus. The team then locked the laser's frequency to this nuclear transition, allowing the system to operate as a nuclear optical clock.
The findings were published online in Nature on Wednesday. The Chinese team and a European team achieved nuclear optical clock operation independently at around the same time.
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